Lexa's Tattoo
by SGAFirenity
Summary: What happens when Clarke and Lexa get stuck in the woods alone with only a tent for cover. Clarke asks a question she's been curious about for quite a while. Clarke/Lexa ONE-SHOT. Set after 2x13.


Author's Note: This is my very first Clarke/Lexa fanfic. I've been a fan of them from the moment we saw them communicate in 2x07 but only in the last week or so have I become crazy into them. So I asked the people on Tumblr if there were any situations that they wished they could see of these two. This is one of them. setmefree5622 on Tumblr requested a fanfic of Lexa explaining her tattoo to Clarke. This is my idea. Let me know what you think. If you have any ideas, let me know and maybe you will inspire a new Clarke/Lexa fanfic. We all know we could use more. :)

_Italics = Thought _

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After setting up camp on the outskirts of Mount Weather, Clarke and Lexa decided to go check out the area and make sure there would be no surprises while they planned their next move on the mountain. Since they were short on man power until reinforcements arrived, they opted to go alone and because Clarke convinced her that it would be easier to look around without having to think about two additional people.

Once they were far enough into the woods, they were met with a situation neither of them could have predicted. Being on a side of the mountain very few people looked at; they figured they'd be safe to look around. They were very wrong. The one thing they've been waiting for Bellamy to disable, the one thing that the two leaders could not be caught in. Otherwise the alliance and war would surely end.

ACID FOG

Billowing yellow mist approached them from two sides in the distance. Did the Mount Men notice them coming in? Was this a trap? Neither of them knew. Luckily for them, Clarke was prepared. She had always made sure to carry a tent just in case she was in an area she wasn't familiar with and needed to hide from the deadly mist as soon as possible.

It became second nature to Clarke; setting up the tent was easy for her. Lexa didn't know what to do or where to stand.

"Clarke we need to move! We don't have time for this!" She borderline ordered Clarke but Clarke wouldn't move.

She continued to pull the tent apart and attach the rods. "Lexa, trust me!" Her voice echoed in Lexa's mind. It wasn't every day that someone didn't listen to her. It was still a little new to have someone else make the orders.

The smoke was getting closer and closer and soon Lexa was sure it was going to be the end. Her mind was thinking of all the things she should have done, all the things she should have said. Just as she was about to give in, she felt a hand pulling her arm.

"Lexa!" Clarke shook the commander out of her state as she knelt down and crawled into the small little tent with Clarke following behind. Clarke turned around and zipped up the tent just in the nick of time. "Phew…" Clarke swept her hand across her forward in relief that she didn't lead the commander to her death. _What a way to go down in history. The one who killed the commander of the grounders. _Clarke thought to herself as she looked over at Lexa.

Lexa was looking around like she didn't know where to look or what to do with herself in such a small space. She had removed her sword from its resting place on her hip as she felt that if she moved a certain way, the sheath might puncture a hole in the barrier keeping the fog out. However, she did place it right next to her just in case she needed it at a moment's notice.

Clarke looked around the tent also a little confused. She'd been in this situation before, stuck in a tent while there was acid fog around them but never with a grounder and not just any grounder, the commander. It was a strange feeling being in such close proximity with the goddess that was the commander. This moment felt similar to the moment when they were trying to stay hidden from the gorilla. She had later learned the term for the animal when she read a book that was in the Ark's archives. Actually she had read up on other animals just in case the situation ever arose again. Maybe she'd be able to defend herself just a little better.

The commander on the other hand did everything she could not to look at the blonde. More often than not in the past she had caught herself just staring at Clarke. Memorizing each and every feature, but now that they were in this confined space, one where she couldn't hide, she tried to look everywhere but her desire. She had told the sky leader that 'love is weakness' but every moment she was with the girl, the feeling fought through her tough exterior. _Love is weakness, love is weakness, _she thought to herself. Her mind could not think of anything but this war. Maybe after, she could think about it.

"Okay, I can't stand this awkward silence."

This pulled Lexa right out of her state and she did what she was trying not to do, she looked over at Clarke.

"I get it, its strange being in such a small space but we have to talk. It's too awkward without talking." Clarke couldn't hold it in anymore.

Lexa looked right into Clarke's eyes, "What do you want to talk about?" She asked not sure what to expect from the blonde.

Clarke scrunched up her face. _Damnit! I didn't think this through very well. Think Clarke! _A moment later an idea came to mind _Aha!_ "You and I have known each other for several weeks now."

"Yes," The commander deadpanned not sure where Clarke was taking this.

"I've noticed over the span of seeing grounders that most of you have these unique tattoos." Clarke tested the waters. No response from Lexa told her she could continue. "Please tell me if this is too personal because I will gladly take a hint and not ask-"

"Clarke," the commander snapped Clarke out of her defense as she placed a hand on the blonde's arm. "What is it that you would like to know?"

Clarke could feel the commander's eyes trained on her as she gulped back some saliva she didn't know was there. "Yes, well… I've noticed that you don't seem to have one. I was wondering why that is… Not that I've been staring at you or anything." She tried to defend her actions. "Is it because you're the commander?" Clarke looked away from the commander's eyes, "Or maybe because you're too special to need one? Maybe it's an honour only certain people have? Then again, it looks like most of your people, from the ones I've seen anyway, have them so why wouldn't you have one…"

By this time Clarke was far gone in her confusion to be saved and Lexa couldn't help but to just stare at the blonde go on and on about the tattoo she'd never seen. "Clarke!" Again she had to shout. It was a wonder every day how she had become so attached to the blonde when Clarke could get into these tangents from time to time.

Clarke looked back to meet Lexa's gaze, "Yes."

"I do have a tattoo," her mind was racing. She knew what Clarke was going to ask.

The blonde looked at her confused, "You do? Where?"

Lexa let go of a breath she wasn't aware she was holding in, "It's on my arm." She used her left hand to indicate where on her right arm it was, "Right here." She motioned to the area between her shoulder and elbow.

Clarke was fixated on the commander's arm, curious to know what it looked like. All of the other tattoos were pretty incredible to look at; Lexa's had to be no different.

Lexa could see the curiosity written all over Clarke's face. Before she could realize what she was doing she was unbuckling the jacket she wore when she went into battle. Once it was undone, she pulled her right arm out of the jacket to show Clarke the intricate design of her tattoo.

"Wow…"Clarke moved a little closer to get a better look at the intricate designs of the commander's tattoo. It looked different than those on Indra or even Lincoln. It looked more delicate, with lines creating patterns within the whole of the tattoo rather than it being filled in black. She couldn't help herself but to trace the lines with her fingers. It wasn't apparent to her that she was doing it until she felt goose bumps appear on the commander's arm. "Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to overstep." Clarke pulled her hand back in defense not wanting to push the commander too far.

"It is alright Clarke. I understand that you look with your hands." Lexa couldn't pull her eyes away from her arm not wanting to see the emotion on the blonde's face.

Clarke nodded, "True. Can I ask why it's on your arm and not on your face like Indra or Lincoln?"

Lexa nodded as she looked up from her arm to meet Clarke's eyes. "Each person gets to choose where their coming of age tattoo will be placed."

"Coming of age?"

"Yes, these tattoos are a symbol of when our general's feel that we are trained enough warriors to go out in the world without their help. Each grounder that has passed that point has one. I've had mine long before I was called to be the commander." Lexa explained without pulling her eyes away from Clarke's. "I can see that you have more questions, ask them." Lexa could see the curiosity in Clarke's eyes.

"Do you get to choose the design?"

"No, that is not our way." Lexa answered.

Clarke looked at her even more confused, "Then how do they come up with the design?"

"It is decided by someone whom has watched the warrior grow into the person they are when they have come of age." Lexa trained her eyesight elsewhere as she felt emotion come on. She didn't want to look weak in front of the sky leader. "When I came of age, it was supposed to be drawn by my mother or father but because they had died when I was young, it was drawn by another."

Clarke could see Lexa struggling but as she was going to speak Lexa continued…

"Anya drew mine. She felt that the different shapes reflected who I was. She had said that I was a carefree spirit and it needed to be reflected in the tattoo." She briefly smiled at the thought. The thought of who she was back then, before becoming commander, before losing Costia. "I was called to lead my people a few years later. Everything changed from that point forward."

From the short distance Clarke could see Lexa clench her jaw to hold back the emotion. She knew how the commander felt about weakness so she didn't focus on it. "So are you saying that Octavia will get a tattoo once Indra feels she has trained enough?"

Lexa was relieved to learn that Clarke had taken the conversation elsewhere. She looked back at Clarke trying to hold back what tears she had for the people she just spoke of, "I am not sure. She will be the first to not have grown up in our tradition. That will be something Indra will have to decide for herself." Feeling a chill from the cool air outside the tent, she pulled her jacket back over her arm and began re-buckling her jacket once more.

Clarke could feel the tension in the air again. She decided to pull down the flap that they had created in each tent to see outside without fear of being melted to see if the fog was gone.

The commander stared at her intently, moving her head to the side ever so slightly as though she were going to say something when all of a sudden Clarke spoke.

"It's cleared." Clarke announced, sounding a little too excited.

Lexa's sight automatically went for the window Clarke was looking out. "It has?"

Clarke nodded, "Yes." She moved to open the tent to get out when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Wait," Lexa on her knees pulled Clarke back toward her.

The blonder looked at her intently, "Yeah."

"What I told you. It cannot be repeated." The commander looked right through Clarke with emotion she never showed anyone. Emotion she never let anyone see.

Clarke smiled, "You're secret is safe with me. Now come on, let's get out of here." She went back to unzipping the tent and getting out to smell the fresh air. Putting out her hand she helped Lexa get back up on her two feet. "Now, do you want to help me with the tent-"

Lexa looked at her confused as she put her sword back on her hip where it's meant to be.

"Right, you know we really need to train your people into learning how to set these things up." Clarke suggested.

The commander almost looked offended, "We have survived decades without these dome shaped things, we can surely keep on surviving without them." She motioned to the tent with her hand.

As Clarke continued deconstructing, she shot back with, "Yeah well, this dome shaped thing called a tent!" Emphasis on tent. "Just saved your life! Without it, you and I probably would have died right where you are standing right now."

Lexa tried to come up with a valid counter but was having trouble.

"That's what I thought." Clarke finished as she folded the tent up into the little pack she had brought with her. "You can try and tell me how useless something like this is but you have to admit that it would be far easier than trying to find shelter every single time." Clarke argued.

The commander was speechless. Clarke was one of the few people she allowed to talk to her like this. Probably because she was holding back feelings for the blonde that she most definitely should not have but couldn't help to have.

Clarke stood right in front of Lexa, "Now, we should probably head back to the camp. Our people are probably wondering if we survived or not."

"You are probably right. We should head back." Lexa turned to go back the way they had come with Clarke in tow. A couple minutes into the walk, Lexa finally spoke, "I will think about your tent idea."

"That's all I want."

"Well, since you just used it to save our lives… It's worth a thought or two…" Lexa looked over to Clarke and let her guard down for a second as she smiled just a little bit.

Clarke remembered that smile from when they were trapped in the gorilla pen. It was a smile she would always remember.

**THE END**


End file.
